A yob who spat on his partner and assaulted her after she threw him out because he was too drunk to look after their children has been spared jail.
Sean MacPherson, 28, became violent when Lisa Boyle told him he was incapable of looking after their young children.
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MacPherson then pushed her, and spat on and racially abused cops called out to his Renfrew address following the disturbance of Friday, January 29.
He appeared at Paisley Sheriff Court before Sheriff Mark Thorley for sentencing today after pleading guilty to charges of assaulting his partner by spitting on her and pushing her.
He admitted causing public disorder by shouting and swearing and uttering offensive remarks at police.
MacPherson also admitted struggling violently with cops and assaulting officers by kicking them and spitting on them.
The court heard MacPherson and Ms Boyle, who have three children, have since reconciled.
Defence agent Amy Spencer said: “He acknowledges the serious nature of these offences, and coupled with his record of previous convictions, this would normally result in a custodial sentence.”
She added MacPherson “had spent time in custody before,” but he had remained trouble free for five years until the assault on his partner Ms Boyle.
She said the act had been motivated by jealousy involving allegations about the complainer seeing someone else.
Ms Spencer said: “He heard his partner had been seeing another man. The relationship was at an absolute low.
“He was feeling frightened about the prospect of a future without his young children.
“He does not normally drink alcohol. But he did drink on that day and now finds himself in court on what is a very serious matter.”
She added MacPherson has abstained from alcohol since the incident and was working hard to “change his ways.”
Sheriff Mark Thorley told him he came very close to jailing him, but said he was prepared to hand him a sentence as an “alternative to custody.”
He said: “You appear on indictment and normally in this course of events, you would be going to custody for a significant period of time given your record.
“However, there has been a sea change in your behaviour over the last five years.
“And on this occasion, it was a reckless matter rather than a premeditated matter.“
He ordered that MacPherson be fitted with an electronic tag for six months, and required him to stay at his home address between the hours 7pm and 7am each day.
He also placed him under mandatory supervision of the social work department for 16 months, where he must attend all appointments and follow the direction of those supervising him.
Sheriff Thorley added: “Any breaches of this order, or any failure to comply, and you will be brought back to court and there will be no alternative to the imposition of a custodial sentence.”
